In a build-to-order (BTO) manufacturing process an individual PC system unit is built to a customer's specification from a range of available options. For instance, the target system unit might include a certain brand of hard drive, a certain brand of processor and other parts selected by the user from a menu of available options.
Prior to assembly of each system unit, the particular parts required to fulfil that order must be picked from an inventory of available parts. Conventionally, this is done by transporting an open-topped container, known as a traveller past a plurality of pick stations, the traveller bearing a barcode identifying the parts necessary to fulfil the order. Each pick station has one or more racks containing parts which might be needed for the order and at each pick station the barcode is scanned and the result passed to a control circuit to determine if, in fact, one or more parts needed for that order are stored in the associated racks. If so, the traveller is halted and the control circuit causes lights to be lit over the relevant rack locations to indicate that those parts have to be picked and placed in the traveller. When a part is picked and placed in the traveller, the operative at that pick station presses a button to turn off the light. When all parts have been picked and all lights turned off a signal is sent to the control circuit which releases the traveller to move on to the next pick station.
A disadvantage of this apparatus is that the control circuit is “hard wired” to the scanners, so that if an operative is missing or absent the conveyor has to be halted while another operative is found to take his/her place. A further disadvantage is the slow speed at which parts can be re-located from one zone to another It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for enabling part picking in a manufacturing facility in which this disadvantage is avoided or mitigated.